The Cold (Water) Facts
What is hypothermia?
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When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than heat is produced. Lengthy exposures will eventually use up your body’s stored energy, which leads to a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 37 degrees C (98.6 degrees F) and hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 35 degrees C (95 degrees F).
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Hypothermia is caused by prolonged exposures to very cold temperatures.
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There are three stages of hypothermia; mild, moderate and severe. As your body progresses through these stages, you will experience shivering, rapid breathing, fatigue, impaired judgement, lack of coordination and an increased heart rate as your body’s blood pressure rises and your blood vessels constrict.
If you fall in ice water (less than 5 degrees Celsius), with winter clothes on, how long do you think it will take to become hypothermic?
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You will not die from Hypothermia in 5, 10, 15…not even 30 minutes. In fact, mild hypothermia only begins to set in around 30 minutes of being in ice cold water.
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The following chart lists the signs and symptoms used in the classification of the three stages of hypothermia; Mild, Moderate and Severe
